Originally Posted by Yakousei (Post 799249)

Japanese, it's a colloquial.

Originally Posted by Arekkusu (Post 799274)

Of course I've never heard the explanation either but go on WWWJDIC: Word Search and type 親トモ for a pretty decent explanation.

Originally Posted by Nyororin (Post 799277)

Back to the 16 year old with that definition and the results of a search - and he came up with having heard the long version 親指だけの友達 - but only with negative connotations. Like someone you are nice to in mail, but wouldn`t want to be seen with in real life.

This may not carry the meaning the OP wants it to... Even among the group that does use it.

Originally Posted by Yakousei (Post 799287)

Ok regardless of what may or may not be the fact remains that I learned from my buddy Taka, who was born and raised in Japanese. And he was textin one of his friends one night and was crackin up laughin, I asked who's that?
he told me his oyatomo.
Havin no clue what that was I stupidly asked, what's that like a funbuddy or somethin?
He said close it's a text buddy, the actual meaning is thumb buddy.
Now he could be pullin my chain and if so I'm kickin his butt for makin me look like am A-Hole online but if not now there's a new word to add to the many unknowns out there.

Originally Posted by MMM (Post 799288)

Sounds like a butt kicking might be in order. I asked a native Japanese tonight, and this was a "new word" never heard of before.